Percy Clark

Percy Hamilton Clark (August 7, 1873 – August 12, 1965) was an American cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He began playing cricket in 1885 and soon found himself at the top of the game in the USA during the brief "Golden Age" of North American cricket. Early life Clark was born on August 7, 1873, in Germantown, Pennsylvania, to Edward White Clark, a member of the Clark banking family, and Mary Todhunter ( Sill) Clark. Clark received a bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1892 and, later, a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Career Clark played for the USA national team, and took five or more wickets on four occasions in the regular match against Canada, his best being 6/41 in the 1900 game in Manheim. Whilst not known for his batting, he did make two first-class half-centuries. His best was a score of 67, also coming in the 1903 match against Worcestershire where he recorded his best bowling. He often opened the bowling with Bart King when playing for the Philadelphian cricket team and the USA national team. He played 53 first-class matches in all, taking 199 wickets in his career at an average of 21.97, taking 10 wickets in a match four times, and having an innings best of 8/91 against Worcestershire in 1903. The Australian Test spin bowler Arthur Mailey said that by the way Clark imparted spin to the ball he "was able to vary the length of swerve or dictate at which point in its flight the ball would begin to change its course".